Many Women Are Plagued With Menstrual Pain Each Month

The term menstrual pain refers to the dull, cramping pain that occurs in the lower abdomen on the days leading up to and during menstruation. Although some women are fortunate to never have experienced menstrual cramping, the majority of women have been plagued with these pains at some point in their lives. Many suffer every single month, and even have to take time off work during menstruation because the discomfort is so bad.
 
The degree and intensity of menstrual pain varies from one woman to the next, and many factors can influence the severity of these cramps, including genetics, age of onset of menstruation, prior pregnancies, and general pain senstivity. For some women, menstrual cramps are a mild nuisance that causes slight discomfort that's fairly easy to ignore. For others, menstrual pain can be so severe that it interferes with normal, everyday activities. Some teens and adults are unable to attend school or work because of severe menstrual pain, and menstruation-related ailments are a common reason to take days off work as well.

Some women are more prone to menstrual pain than others. There are certain factors that put women at a greater risk of experiencing menstrual pain, such as reaching puberty prior to the age of 12, having irregular menstrual cycles, bleeding or spotting mid-cycle, heavy menstrual bleeding, family history of menstrual pain, smoking, poor nutrition, lack of exercise and never having given birth.

Menstrual pain is a common condition, however, it is important to have it checked by your physician if it develops suddenly or if pain is severe. Although most cases of menstrual pain are not serious, sometimes the pain can be caused by certain medical conditions, such as a hormonal imbalance, a pelvic infection or pregnancy. If the underlying cause is treated, the severity of the menstrual pain can improve significantly.
 
Once your doctor has ruled out any underlying medical conditions, it is safe to begin treatment to help ease the discomfort of menstrual pain. Many doctors recommend over the counter pain medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Although these can be effective at relieving menstrual pain, they are not without risk. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories can cause stomach upset, nausea, liver problems and stomach bleeding. For this reason, some women prefer to stick with natural home remedies to treat menstrual pain as often as possible. Simple home remedies can be very effective in reducing or eliminating menstrual cramps. They are all natural and have no risk of side effects.